MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

National Medicinal Plants Board

Aims, Objectives, Functions and Activities of the Board
The Medicinal Plants Board was set up under a Government Resolution (No. Z.18020/19/97-M.P.Cell) notified on 24th November 2000 under the Chairpersonship of Union Health & Family Welfare Minister. Presently, various activities and programmes related to diverse issues concerning medicinal plants are being pursued independently by numerous ministries, departments /organizations, but there is inadequate coordination and an absence of a focused approach. An appropriate mechanism for coordination and implementation of policies relating to medicinal plants both at the Central and State levels is necessary to facilitate inter-Ministry, inter-state and institutional collaboration and to avoid duplication of efforts.
The objectives of establishing a board is to establish an agency which would be responsible for co-ordination of all matters relating to medicinal plants, including drawing up policies and strategies for conservation, proper harvesting, cost-effective cultivation, research and development, processing, marketing of raw material in order to protect, sustain and develop this sector. The work would continue to be carried out by the respective Departments, Organizations but the Board would provide a focus and a direction to the activities. The Board is functioning with administrative/technical support of the following committees which have been carved out of the key Departments and have the administrative/technical capability for each area defined below. These committees are:

• Standing Finance Committee
• Committee on Demand and Supply
• Committee on Cultivation of Medicinal Plants including Conservation of rare and endangered species.
• Committee on Export/Import
• Committee on Research
• Committee on Patents/IPR

Functions of the board
Co-ordination with Ministries / Departments / Organizations / State / UT Governments for development of medicinal plants in general and specifically in the following fields:-
Assessment of demand/supply position relating to medicinal plants both within the country and abroad.
Advise concerned Ministries/ Departments/ Organizations/ State/ UT Governments on policy matters relating to schemes and programmes for development of medicinal plants.
Provide guidance in the formulation of proposals, schemes and programmes etc. to be taken-up by agencies having access to land for cultivation and infrastructure for collection, storage and transportation of medicinal plants.

• Identification, inventorisation and quantification of medicinal plants.
• Promotion of ex-situ/in-situ cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants.
• Promotion of co-operative efforts among collectors and growers and assisting them to store, transport and market their produce effectively.
• Setting up of data-base system for inventorisation, dissemination of information and facilitating the prevention of Patents being obtained for medicinal use of plants which is in the public domain.
• Matters relating to import/export of raw material, as well as value added products either as medicine, food supplements or as herbal cosmetics including adoption of better techniques for marketing of product to increase their reputation for quality and reliability in the country and abroad.
• Undertaking and awarding Scientific, Technological research and cost-effectiveness studies.
• Development of protocols for cultivation and quality control.
• Encouraging the protection of Patent rights and IPR

Activities of the Board
The 1st meeting of the board was held on 20th September 2001 and a number of important decisions were taken for implementation and policy formulation in this context. The activities of the Board would be in the following areas:

• Registration of farmers/cultivators and traders of medicinal plants to be entrusted to the respective State Medicinal Plants Board/Vanaspati Van Societies.
• General and specialized surveys of the international market for medicinal plants and products to be undertaken for identifying niche areas.
• Manufactures/NGOs and representative individuals to be supported for participation in international fairs, seminars & meeting with a view to create awareness and explore the international market for plant based herbal products.
• Simplification of Transit permit/legal procurement certificate for transportation of raw drugs.
• R & D studies in the areas of post harvest management shelf-life, storage and simple agro-techniques to be evolved with the involvement of CSIR, NBRI, CIMAP, ICFRE, RRLs, DBT, Horticulture and Forest Department.
• Constitution of State Medicinal Plants Board in every State/UT of the country for overall development of medicinal plants sector.
• The 32 Prioritized Medicinal Plants, which are in great demand both in domestic and international market have been identified for cultivation, conservation and development, as per recommendations of various committees at national level.